Check out my latest blog post to read about the simple healthy hacks I do as a health coach, to stay on the healthy side of the fence!
Five Reasons You Could Benefit from a Sugar Detox
Five Reasons You Could Benefit from a Sugar Detox
Are you ready to learn the not so sweet truth about sugar? Well, buckle up! It's a bumpy (and surprising) ride.
As a Health Coach, I get asked by many of you what's the one thing I should be looking out for when it comes to the food I put in my body. My answer is always SUGAR. Here is why.
Sugar is SO sneaky, and when I say sugar, I mean large food conglomerates. The US Food Industry creates food with the purpose of it being addicting. In fact, they have jobs at Kraft Food and other big corporations where someone's sole purpose is to make food addictive, so we keep coming back. They do this by adding sugar or high-fructose corn syrup into everything, even the salty and savory stuff we wouldn't normally associate with sugar.
These processed foods and sugar send our hormones and blood sugar into a vicious cycle. Climbing high, then crashing, causing you to go back to the pantry for more, which in turn makes us consume more.
They've gotten so sneaky that there are now 60+ words for sugar that hide in our food supply. The worst part is our government will not protect us.
Did you know that in the UK, for example, their government has banned tons of food additives from being in their food supply? So food companies such as Kraft, Walmart, or McDonald's have to make two different types of the same product. For example, two kinds of Doritos, one with the yellow 5, blue 1, red 40 that goes to the US and one without going to the UK. Vani Hart, also known as the Food Babe, is a huge food advocate, and you can read more about that here.
So, where does this leave us?
We need to be our own advocates and read our food labels. We need to educate ourselves and those around us on the long-term danger of regularly consuming added or refined sugar. The good news is the tools are available to us.
So what happens to your body when you can detox off of added or refined sugar?
You will reduce inflammation in your body.
Reducing inflammation is a big one. Think of sugar = inflammation. Inflammation can show up in your body in many ways; it can be apparent inflammation like bloating or puffiness. Or, it can show up in our body through chronic pain. Inflammation is supposed to be our body’s natural defense. But by having a diet high in sugar, we weaken those defenses. When your body isn’t able to heal and stays in a state of inflammation over time, chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and digestive issues can start to form.
You’ll have more energy.
Consuming sugar affects our blood sugar levels, which in turn affects our energy levels. When we eat sugar, our body reacts by producing insulin to metabolize the sugar in our blood. Essentially, this is where sugar crashes come from. This not only leaves us feeling tired for the day; it also causes more sugar cravings. Our body is looking for that next spike to bring us back up, and then the cycle continues. By eliminating sugar, you choose to jump off this crazy rollercoaster ride.
You’ll have clearer skin.
Your skin is an elimination organ, so it's safe to say if something is going on with your skin, then it's a good indication that something is going on inside your body. Too much sugar in your diet can cause skin problems such as rosacea, acne, and aging. Consuming too much sugar also attacks the collagen and elastin in your skin, causing you to age faster! Say goodbye to all those crazy creams and skin routines; give up sugar.
Your immune system will thank you.
Sugar weakens our immune system, so you’re at greater risk of coming down with something. Now more than ever, we need our immune systems to be operating at full speed, so if you’re looking for ways to give that ole immune system a boost, start by looking at the foods you are putting into your body.
You’ll likely lose weight.
Who doesn’t like to hear that! While everyone is different, the science behind weight loss and removing sugar from your body makes sense. Sugar is an empty calorie and causes your blood sugar to spike. These two things are directly related to weight gain. When you eat sugar, your body releases insulin into your blood. Insulin is the fat-storing hormone. Essentially, its job is to tell the body to convert the sugar into energy to be used later. That energy is stored in the form of fat! So, eliminating sugar from your diet is a great way to shed a few pounds!
The bottom line
Yes, sugar is bad for you, and the main takeaway is that it's in so much more food than we realize we are consuming. Educating yourself on that is the first step. As you begin to cook and eat throughout your day, pay attention to your food labels. Do you know what all the ingredients are? Can you pronounce them? Are they one of the 60+ words out there for sugar?
While a completely sugar-free diet is not realistic for many people 100% of the time, doing a 21-day sugar detox is sometimes all your body needs. By taking that time to detox, you will reset your body naturally and also reset your tastebuds. Many of the foods you ate before will be too sweet, and it will completely transform your relationship with sugar.
That's why I've created a 21 Day Sugar Elimination Challenge kicking off Monday, February 8th, 2021. For more information, follow this link: 21 Day Sugar Elimination Challenge.
Life Lessons From A Dormant Volcano
Life Lessons From A Dormant Volcano
Do you ever look back on something and think to yourself, "How the fuck did I do that?!" Every time I look at this picture, it's the first thing that comes to mind.
On the day my now-husband, Kevin, took the above photo, we began the morning thinking we were going for a casual 3.5-mile walk in the woods. I quickly learned that this was NOT the case. It ended up being the day we unintentionally climbed to the top of Nevado de Colima, a 14,000ft dormant volcano in Mexico.
To put that in perspective, that would be like waking up one morning and deciding to climb Mt. Whitney in California or Mt. Rainier in Washington!
It's just something you WOULDN'T typically do unless you were completely prepared.
To set the scene for you, we were coming off a terrible eight-day stomach bug. We didn't have enough food or water on our hike. We covered 4,000ft in elevation in less than two miles. The trail was not marked and had no switchbacks; the "trail" was straight-up volcanic gravel and old lava rocks that slipped beneath your feet.
Up, up, up we go!
In my head - I was checking out! I wanted to give up, throw in the towel, turn around, cry, scream, and throw a tantrum on the side of a cliff. This hike was challenging, and I didn't want to do it.
The last straw came when the last bit of the hike turned into a scramble -- we were now using our feet and hands to get to the top. The first couple of steps I took and the rocks below my feet went tumbling down the mountain.
I started to bawl my eyes out as I was clinging to the side of this volcano. I refused to go any further. I was giving up.
Kevin wasn't buying into my meltdown - so he pressed on (this wasn’t the first time I had struggled on a hike — and it wouldn’t be the last). The locals, who were in full climbing gear, were passing me too.
Seriously, this is what we had to climb up!
After about 5 minutes of hysterical crying, I could see that I was only about ten minutes from the top. So, after my cliffside cry, I decided to suck it up and press on.
I eventually MADE IT TO THE TOP.
Don’t let this smile fool you, it was a serious “fake-it” kind of photo op.
Usually, I would feel elated, excited, accomplished, proud, etc. Not this time; this day had physically and mentally drained me. Honestly, going down was even worse. I fell about seven times because my legs were so exhausted.
It took me almost a year to look back on this moment with joy and laughter. It also took me nearly a year to learn from the experience.
In my life, whenever things tend to get hard, my initial thought is "F THIS." For so much of my life, this pattern was continually coming up for me. In relationships, friendships, conversations, jobs, you name it. I just thought if something wasn't coming naturally or easy, it must not be right. So I would bounce!
I always had one foot out the door looking for my next move. I’m forever grateful to my therapist who pointed this out to me! He was 100% correct!
Even as that new revelation was at the forefront of my mind, I knew I still had a lot to learn (I’ll save that for another blog). Through the years, I've learned that some things take work, time, love, and patience!
For the record, I think it's healthy to identify things in life that don't serve you and walk away in a powerful way -- but in my life, I was using this as an escape route; it was my trump card.
It’s certainly something I'm not perfect at even as I run my own business - I can't tell you how many times I've thought about throwing in the towel because newsflash Lindsey, it's not easy being an entrepreneur!
So, I have printed out this picture, and I've stuck it on my desk. It's a constant reminder not to give up, that life is hard - but beautiful, that it's okay not to know where you're going, EVEN if it means you have to have a breakdown (or three) along the way.
If you're struggling in certain areas of life, my hope is this post will remind you that everything will be okay and not to give up just because it's challenging. Eventually, you'll get through it, and look back on these times in wonderment, and think, "How the F did I do that?" And I PROMISE you'll be wiser for the times.
This was a shot of the top of Mt Colima from our campsite. We jokingly renamed it Mount Crumpit (from The Grinch). We literally had NO idea that you could climb to the top of it — and we had no idea we would be doing it the NEXT day!
Six Healthy Alternatives to Bread
If you're trying to cut back on your bread intake, I've compiled a list of yummy and nourishing alternatives to sub in! While nothing can truly take the place of bread, I promise if you explore some of these options, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
1. Romaine lettuce or butter lettuce
If I'm whipping up chicken, tuna, or salmon salad for lunch, then these lettuce options are my go-to! There is something about the crispiness of the lettuce that works well here. Prepare your salad and spoon it into romaine boats or cups of butter lettuce. Top with your favorite kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles -- or all of the above -- and enjoy!
2.collard greens or swiss chard
These greens are great for loading up with tons of hummus and veggies because they're so hardy. You treat the leaf-like you would a flour tortilla for a burrito. Lay the green flat, make sure to remove the stem from the bottom, fill with hummus, veggies, tuna, sprouts, cheese, chicken, turkey, or whatever your heart desires, and roll like a burrito!
3. Sweet potato
Sweet potato is my favorite sub for bread; it's so tasty! To prepare, slice the sweet potato the long way, a mandolin works best, and throw them in your oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Once soft, top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
You can also roast these at the beginning of the week and store them in the fridge. When you're ready to eat, place them in your toaster to heat them.
Below are some of my favorite variations.
Avocado toast: top with avocado, poached egg, and red pepper flakes.
Everything but the bagel toast: top with avocado, and Trader Joe’s everything seasoning.
Smoked salmon: toast top with smoked salmon, arugula, red onion, tomatoes, and capers.
Almond butter toast: top with almond butter, blueberries and, drizzled honey.
Leftover toast: top with avocado and leftover sauteed veggies in your fridge.
4. cabbage
Cabbage cups are another excellent vehicle for food!
Like the collard greens and chard, they are a very sturdy leaf. My favorite way to use them is to take a Thai style. I sautee up ground turkey or chicken using Thai flavors (fresh ginger, sesame seed oil, soy sauce, etc.) and spoon the mixture into cabbage cups; it's always a crowd-pleaser.
Note: For a vegan option, you can make the same recipe with chickpeas.
5. seaweed
You either love it, or you hate it!! However, if you turn your head to seaweed, I encourage you to give it another go.
Seaweed is chock full of great nutrients such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc. Using nori-wraps is a fun way to eat because the possibilities are endless. It's a great meal to have if you need to use up some veggies in your fridge.
Below are some of my favorite variations.
Mango nori-wraps: sliced mango, julienne cucumber, sliced radishes, avocado, cilantro, sesame seeds, and hot sauce.
Breakfast nori-wraps: scrambled eggs, hemp seeds, avocado, micro-greens, and hot sauce.
Tuna nori-wraps: tuna salad, julienne cucumber, and kimchi.
6. make it a bowl
I love sweet potato burritos, but the flour tortilla isn't the best option for me, so I had to get creative. I take all the filling for a burrito and put it over quinoa or brown rice and skip the tortilla. This option works well for almost anything Mexican. I like it because it's fun to come up with different combinations and make the entire family happy!
Creating a Gratitude Journal Practice
Let's talk about gratitude! As a health coach, one of the first things I encourage my new clients to do is to start a gratitude practice. It's a simple routine to create in your life that can produce big results. You might be thinking that you already give thanks for what you have in life, but I want to talk about creating a gratitude practice using a journal.
Nice-Cream Recipe
Ice cream is one of my favorite things, especially once the weather starts to warm up. I also have an emotional connection with it. For me, it reminds me of a simpler time. Growing up in New England, getting ice cream after dinner in the summertime was a rite of passage. Even as I think about it now, I am teleported back to New Hampshire in the middle of July. I can almost taste that chocolate chip cookie dough with rainbow sprinkles from Golden Rod!
Why Choose Health Coaching?
When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, it always seems the hardest part is that first step. As humans, we often hear ourselves saying, "I'll start eating better... tomorrow." or "I'll join the gym... next week." It's very easy for us to put off until tomorrow what we can do today. On top of our procrastination, individuals are also very good at justifying their choices or coming up with excuses.
Life Lessons from My Early 30's
Five years ago, I was on a road trip with my best friend, driving through the middle of nowhere Texas. It was raining out and the sun had just set when out of nowhere my heart began to pound out of my chest and I couldn’t breathe. I immediately pulled over and thought “Okay, maybe it’s just the long hours in the car driving from town to town and I just need a break.” We pulled over, swapped seats and pressed on. However, it didn’t get better, it got worse.